October is my favorite time of year, the beginning of autumn in my corner of the world when the summer heat gives way to cooler temperatures and the countdown to Halloween begins. It is a season for parties and scaring each other silly, or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can book a tour at one of the many purported haunted locations.

Of course, the tours are mostly for fun, but if you happen to be sensitive like myself, you might tune in to some of the unseen ethereal things that are rumored to go bump in the night.

Most of you are probably aware of the origin of Halloween, the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, or “Festival of the Dead,” which signaled the end of harvest season and the beginning of the darker, colder half of the year. The Celts believed that on this eve of a new year, the veil between our world and the next became whisper thin, allowing the souls of the dead to return to Earth.

Superstition and lore, right? Maybe not. I remember trolling the neighborhood streets on Halloween nights with a horde of other costume-clad kids. The excitement in the air was always palpable, but for me there was usually another kind of “goosebump moment.” At the time I was too young to analyze the situation. I only knew the atmosphere felt different, a good enough explanation for a kid.

I’ve since learned to pay more attention to those eerie moments. To this day I still often experience the subtle feeling of awareness on the eve of Halloween, what I perceive to be a shift in energy. This shift is something akin to the sensation of the odd, subtle stillness which occurs when the barometric pressure drops just before a thunderstorm.

Some of you might be thinking just the hype of All Hallows’ Eve is bound to spark the idea of otherworldly activity where there is none. I’ll admit the possibility. But remember, in every bit of legend and lore, there is always the one infinitesimal grain of truth that started the tale. The story behind the story. So, for Halloween this year, why not test the possibility of something outside the realm of what we accept as logic? Clear your mind, keep your senses open. You might be surprised at what you find.

If you’re curious about Anne’s encounters with the paranormal side of life, visit her website at www.annefrancisscott.com, where she talks about some of those experiences with Real Paranormal Activity – The Podcast.

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